JACOB A. WAGNER, PhD, Associate Professor

Jacob’s expertise lies in the fields of community development, planning and urban history, and historic preservation. His area of specialty includes the city of New Orleans where he lived and worked for 5 years. His research addresses the role of the historic urban built environment in the politics of race and collective memory.

Prior to his work at UMKC, Jacob taught courses in community development at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, and courses in planning history and urban studies in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of New Orleans. He has also worked in planning and community development in Oregon.  

Jacob’s research focuses on:

  • historic preservation
  • New Orleans, LA
  • collective memory and the urban environment
  • history of urban renewal in Kansas City, KS
  • politics of race in U.S. cities
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